Livestock-raising operations have long been plagued by problems attendant the odor and disposal of excrement waste products inherently produced in such programs. In most operations waste odors are merely tolerated, and an attempt is made to dispose of at least some of the wastes as fertilizer by on-site use or through sale. Other approaches have suggested the use of electrolytic treatment of the wastes to destroy odor-producing bacteria. Another solution heretofore suggested has entailed attempts to convert the wastes to protein-rich materials useful as feed supplements by subjecting the wastes to mechanical aeration under conditions which cause the aerobic bacteria in the wastes to propagate using the available nitrogen, carbon, vitamins and minerals in the wastes as nutrients.
Such prior electrolytic waste treatments, while successful in the main in solving the odor problem, have not been satisfactory due to being too expensive and in failing to provide a totally attractive solids end product. Similarly, approaches utilizing a mechanical aeration of the wastes have not been economically attractive, in spite of producing supplemental feed products, since the power requirements for the mechanical processing are essentially prohibitive.
Accordingly, a search has continued in the art for an attractive alternative technique for treating animal wastes, and particularly for such a treatment producing useable protein.